Automatic writing-machine.



G. P. RIGGS.- AUTOMATIC WRITING MACHINE.

. APPLICATION FILED 119.29, 190a.

Patented Oct. 18,1910.

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\ APPLIGATIO H FILED AUG- 23, 1909.

Patented Oct. 18,1910.

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To all whom it may concern:

FFC.

GEORGE P. RIGGS, OF ST. MARYS, WEST VIRGINIA.

AUTOMATIC WRITING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

Application filed August 23, 1909. Serial No. 514,190.

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. RIGGS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at St. Marys, in the county of Pleasants and State of Vest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic VVriting-Nlachines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to automatic writing machines, and more particularly to a machine for reproducing writing, as names and addresses, the machine when mechanically operated being styled a Writeograph and when electrically operated a Teleaugraph.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a machine wherein positive and reliable means are employed for accurately guiding a pen and reproduce hand writing.

Another object of this invention is to provide a writeograph consisting of comparatively few parts compactly assembled and easily controlled by the attendant of the ma chine.

A further object of this invention is to provide a card writing machine with simple and effective means for automatically feeding cards into position and removing the same after the cards have been inscribed.

A. still further object of this invention is to provide a machine of the above type wherein horizontal and revoluble contour plates are employed for guiding an arm provided with a writing medium.

The above and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained by a ma chine that will be specifically described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, but it must be understood that the structural elements thereof can be varied or changed, as to the size, shape and manner of assemblage without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine partly bro-ken away, Fig. 2 is a plan of the machine with the lid and horizontal partition thereof removed, Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the machine taken on the line W-W of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a plan of the machine with the lid thereof removed, and Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the machine taken on the line XX of Fig. 3.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a box like structure or casing, comprising a base plate 1, side walls 2 and 3, a front wall t, a rear wall 5, a lid 6 and a horizontal partition 7.

The upper edge of the rear wall 5 is provided with a transverse cleat 8 and the lid 6 is hinged to said cleat, as at 9 to close the box like structure or casing. This lid is provided with a hood 10, to provide clearance for certain elements to be hereinafter described.

The horizontal partition 7 is supported by longitudinal cleats 11 carried by the inner sides of the walls 2 and 3, and in order that the lid 6 can be supported in an open position, as best shown in Fig. 1, whereby easy access can be had to the operating mechanism, the partition 7 at one side is provided with a pivoted arm 12 and the under side of the lid 6 with a similar arm 13. These arms are pivotally connected together, as at 14 and the arm 12 is provided with a pin 15 adapted to engage in a socket 16 provided therefor in the edge of the arm 13, said pin limiting the movement of the arms 12 and 18 and maintaining a stiff connection between said arms when the lid 6 is opened. The outer ends of the arm are adapted to spring forward and allow the arms to fold downwardly within the casing when the lid is closed.

The horizontal partition 7 is located approximately central of the casing and can be removed, if necessary, but in order that the operating mechanism of the machine can be easily maintained in an operable condition, one part of the partition, which I have designated 17, is located at the rear end of the casing and providedwith an opening 18 normally closed by a hinged lid 19, the opening 18 being above a portion of the operating mechanism to be hereinafter described.

The base plate 1 of the casing is provided with an enlargement 20 for a detachable post 21, said enlargement and said post being located approximately central of the casing, but slightly forward of the center,

whereby the greater portion of the operating mechanism will be located in the forward end of the casing, to provide clearance for a source of power, as a motor to be located in the rear end of the casing at one side thereof.

Revolubly mounted uponthe post 21 is a large horizontal pulley 22 having a hub portion 23 provided with a cap 24 adapted to fit over the upper end of the post 21. The cap 24 is provided with a central vertical exteriorly threaded pin 25 adapted to receive a washer 26 and a nut 27, the last two mentioned elements being employed to retain revoluble contour plates or a contour head 28 upon the cap 24 and the hub por tion 23 of the horizontal pulley 22. Two separable contour plates can be used or a single contour head equivalent to two integral plates. The contour head has been shown and the edges of this head are scalloped, irregular or so shaped as to represent the strokes of a pen when writing. The head is provided with practically two edges 29 and 30, the edge 29 controlling the up and down strokes of a pen, while the edge 30 controls the lateral strokes of the pen. These peripheral edges are so shaped as to shift a pen to reproduce writing, as will hereinafter appear, and as the scope of the machine is limited to the writing outlined by the peripheral edges of the head 28, it is to be understood that said head can be removed and replaced by another head that -will produce writing altogether different from the first head.

The side wall 3 of the box below the partition 7 and approximately in a horizontal plane with the upper side of the head 28 is provided with a bracket 31 and pivotally connected to said bracket is a horizontal shiftable arm guiding device adapted to be actuated by the contour head 28. This shiftable device comprises a member 32 which is pivotally connected to the inner side of the bracket 31. The outer end of the member is enlarged and provided with a vertical pin 33 adapted to normally engage the peripheral edge 30 of the contour head 28, said pin being held in engagement with said head by a coil spring 34 connected to the member 32, as at 35 and to the side wall 3, as at 36.

The enlarged end of the member 32 is provided with a post 37 and pivotally mounted upon said post is a lever 38. The lever 38 extends forward over the head 28 and is pivotally connected, as at 39 to another lever 40, which extends toward the wall 2 and is pivotally connected, as at 41 to another member 42 pivotally connected to a bracket 43, carried by the front wall 4. The member 42 is connected by a retractile spring 44 to the side wall 2, and the outer end of said member is connected by a coil spring 45 to a lug 46, carried by the e11- larged end of the member 32.

The lever 38 is provided with a segment shaped guide arm 47 adapted to extend over the lever and retain said lever in proper relation to the head 28. The lever 40 is provided with a depending pin 48 adapted to engage the peripheral edge 29 of the contour head 28, said pin co6perating with the pin 33 in shifting the levers 38 and 40, the

1 pin 48 being held normally in engagement 1 with the edge 29 by the spring which is of a greater tension than the spring 44.

The lever 38 adjacent to the rear end thereof and above the member 32 is provided with a post 49 extending through a slot 50 provided therefor in the rear part of the horizontal partition 7. The upper end of the post is provided with a head 51 and hinged to said head, as at 52 is an arm 53 having the forward end thereof shaped similar to a hand, as at 54 for holding a fountain pen 55 or similar writing medium. The hand 54 is further supported by a depending L-shaped pin 56 adapted to normally rest upon the partition 7.

The partition 7 directly in front of the hand 54 is provided with a rectangular frame 57 serving functionally as a card holder for cards 58. One of the upper side edges of the frame 57 is provided with an inwardly projecting flange 59 while the opposite edge is provided with a pivoted card retainer 59 The cards 58 are normally held against the flange 59 and the retainer 59 by a spring pressed lock 60 arranged in the frame 57 beneath the cards 58. By swinging the card retainer 59 to one side, the cards 58 can be easily placed in position, whereby the pen 59 can travel over the exposed card and transcribe the writing outlined by the peripheral edges 29 and 30 of the contour head 28.

Located at the rear side of the frame 57 beneath the starting position of the hand 54 is a horizontal pivoted elevating member 60 and interposed between the front edge of said member and the rear edge of the frame 57 is a spring 61. The free end of the member 60 is engaged by a horizontal pivoted cam 62 through the medium of which the member 60 is adjusted relative to the frame 57. The free end of the member 60 is beveled, as at 63 and the supporting pin 56 of the hand 54 is adapted to travel over the beveled surface of the member 60 and elevate the hand after a card has been written upon. The hand 54 is adapted to Write from left to right of the card or sheet and is shifted from the finishing point of the line to the starting point on the next card or sheet and when shifted from right to left the hand and the pen held thereby are elevated by the member 60. It is at this interim that the written card is withdrawn from the frame 57 to expose the next card. To withdraw the card, a novel mechanism is employed which is actuated by the contour head 28. The front wall 4 is provided with a bracket 64 adjacent to the bracket 43 and arranged in said bracket and adapted to swing in a horizontal plane is a yoke 65, said yoke being limited in its movement by a shoulder 66 carried. by the bracket 64. One end of the yoke extends into the path of a depending pin 67, carried by the contour head 28, while the opposite end of the yoke extends over the contour head and is engaged by the bifurcated end 68 of a pivoted arm 69, carried by the under side of the horizontal partition 7. The pivoted arm 69 is connected by a link 70 to a crank 71, carried by the lower end of a vertical shaft 72 journaled in the partition 7. A coil spring 7 3 connects the end of the crank 71 to the partition 7,""and the tension of this spring is adapted to normally maintain the lower end of theyoke 65 in the path of the pin 67, carried by the contour head 28. The upper end of the shaft 72 is provided with an ornamental crank 74: representing a serpent. The free end of the crank or the head of the serpent extends over the front edge of the rectangular frame 57 and is provided with small prongs or pins 75 adapted to f-rictionally engage the exposed card within the frame 57 and withdraw or eject the exposed card when the yoke 65 is engaged by the pin 67.

As a source of power for operating my machine, I use what is commonly termed a graphophone motor, this type of motor being common as an operating medium of graphophones, phonographs and similar talking machines. It is in connection with the operating mechanism of the machine that I do not care to confine myself to the source.

of power or energy employed, and consequently there is simply illustrated conventionally a graphophone motor, which is located in the casing adjacent to the opening 18. The. motor as shown comprises a housing 7 6 for a spring 77, a train of gears 78, a winding arbor 79 and a driven shaft 80. Through the medium of beveled gear wheels 81, the driven shaft 80 is adapted to operate a vertical shaft 82 provided with a pulley 83 over which travels an endless belt 84, said belt passing around the pulley 22. The driven shaft 81 is also adapted to operate a governor 85, and in connection with the governor a friction disk 86 is used and a controlling lever 87. The controlling lever is movably mounted upon the partition 7, extends under the lid 19, through the opening 18 and is connected to a clutch arm adapted to engage the friction disk 86 and control the operation of the governor. The motor forms no part of this invention nor the controlling mechanism thereof, and is simply cited as an example of a source of energy that can be used for operating the machine.

When the motor is placed in operation, a revoluble movement is imparted to the contour head 28 and the said head is revolved. The horizontal shiftable arm guiding device is moved to shift the arm 53 according to the peripheral edges 29 and 30 of the head 28. The arm 53 carrying the hand with the pen from left to right of the card 58 until the line is completed. The outline of the edge 30 is such that after the writing is completed upon the card, the hand is caused to move rearwardly and as the element 56 can ride up the beveled end of the member 60, the hand is elevated, thus allowing the inscribed card to be removed. When the hand is elevated, the pen 55 will not scribble upon the card. It is during themovement of the arm back to its original position that the card withdrawing or ejecting device is operated through the medium of the yoke 65, pin 67 and shaft 72, etc. Through the medium of the lever 84, the operation of the motor can be easily controlled, should it be necessary to stop the motor and prevent a card from being accidentally spoiled.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, is

1. A machine of the type described, comprising a casing, a horizontal revoluble contour head within said casing, a horizontal shiftable arm guiding device adapted to be actuated by said head, an arm carried by said device and adapted to be actuated there by, a card holder arranged in said casing and adapted to hold cards to be written upon through the medium of the movement of said arm, and a card withdrawing device within said casing and actuated by said 0011- tour head and adapted to withdraw cards from said holder.

2. A machine of the type described, comprising a casing, a motor driven contour head arranged in said casing, a shiftable arm guiding device actuated by said head, a hinged arm supported by said device and adapted to be guided thereby, a card holder within said casing and adapted to hold cards to be written upon through the medium of the movement of said arm, and means actuated by said contour head for withdrawing cards from said holder.

3. A machine of the type described, comprising a casing, a revoluble horizontal contour head arranged in said casing and having irregular peripheral edges, a horizontal shiftable arm guiding device located above said head and adapted to be guided by the peripheral edges thereof, a hinged arm supported by said device and adapted to be guided thereby, a card holder within said casing and adapted to supportcards to be written upon through the medium of the movement of said arm, and means actuated by said contour head for removing the cards from said holder.

4. A machine of the type described, comprising a casing, a revoluble horizontal contour head arranged in said casing and having irregular peripheral edges, a horizontal shiftable arm guiding device located above said head and adapted to be guided by the peripheral edges thereof, a hinged arm supported by said device and adapted to be guided thereby, a card holder within said casing and adapted to support cards to be written upon through the medium of the movement of said arm, means actuated by said contour head for removing the cards from said holder, and means adapted to elevate said arm during the withdrawing of a card from said holder.

5. In a writing machine, the combination with a casing, and a motor located in said casing, of a revoluble contour head arranged within said casing and adapted to be driven by said motor, a horizontal shiiitable arm guiding device within said casing and adapted to be actuated by said head, a hinged arm supported by said device and adapted to be guided thereby, a card holder within said casing and adapted to support cards to be written upon through the medium of the movement of said arm, a card withdrawing device actuated by said head and adapted to withdraw cards from said holder, and means within said casing for controlling the operation of said motor.

6. In a writing machine, the combination with a casing, a horizontal partition supported in said casing, and a motor within said casing below said partition, of a horizontal revoluble contour head, within said casing below said partition and adapted to be driven by said motor, a shiftable device arranged above said head and adapted to be guided thereby, a movable arm arranged above said partition and supported by said device and adapted to be guided thereby, a card holder carried by said partition and adapted to support cards to be written upon through the medium of the movement of said arm, and a card withdrawing device arranged upon said partition and actuated by said head and adapted to withdraw cards from said holder.

7. In a writing machine, the combination with a casing, a horizontal partition supported in said casing, and a motor within said casing below said partition, of a horizontal revoluble contour head within said casing below said partition and adapted to be driven by said motor, a shiftable device arranged above said head and adapted to be guided thereby, a movable arm arranged above said partition and supported by said device and adapted to be guided thereby, a card holder carried by said partition and adapted to support cards to be written upon through the medium of the movement of said arm, a card withdrawing device arranged upon said partition and actuated by said head and adapted to withdraw cards from said holder, and means carried by said partition for elevating said arm during the operation of the last mentioned means.

8. In a writing machine, the combination with a casing, and a horizontal partition arranged within said casing, of a revoluble contour head arranged below said partition and having irregular peripheral edges, a horizontal shiftable arm guiding device arranged between said head and said partition and adapted to be actuated by said device, a movable arm arranged above said partition and supported by said device, a card holder arranged upon said partition and adapted to support cards to be written upon through the medium of the movement of said arm, and means carried by said partition and actuated by said head and adapted to withdraw cards from said holder.

9. In a writing machine, the combination with a casing, and a horizontal partition arranged within said casing, of a revoluble contour head arranged below said partition and having irregular edges, a horizontal shiftable arm guiding device arranged between said head and said partition and adapted to be actuated by said device, .a movable arm arranged above said partition and supported by said device, a card holder arranged upon said partition and adapted to support cards to be written upon through the medium of the movement of said arm, means carried by said artition and actuated by said head and adapted to withdraw cards from said holder, and means supported by said partition to control the operation of said contour head.

10. In a writing machine, the combination with a casing, and a horizontal partition arranged in said casing, of a revoluble contour head within said casing and below said partition and havin irregular peripheral edges, a horizontal shlftable arm guiding device arranged below said partition and adapted to be actuated by said head, said device comprising pivoted members, pivoted lever connecting said members; a hinged arm arranged above said partition and supported by one of the levers of said device and adapted to be guided by said device, a writing medium carried by said arm, a card holder arranged upon said partition and adapted to hold cards to be written upon by said writing medium, a card withdrawing device supported by said partition and adapted to be actuated by said contour head, said device and means carried by said partition for concomprising a crank shaft adapted to have trolling the operation of said contour head. 10 one of the cranks thereof engage the cards In testimony whereof I affix my signature of said holder, and a yoke located below said in the presence of two witnesses.

partition and actuated by said head for mov- GEORGE P. RIGGS. ing said crank shaft; means carried by said Witnesses: partition for elevating said arm during the TYNDALL DINsMoN,

operation of said card withdrawing device, 0. B. BARCLEY. 

